The Good, The Bad and The Ugly — Missouri

Some random thoughts after the Razorbacks staggering 28-24 loss to SEC East bottom feeder Missouri on Friday in Columbia.

The Good

The one consistent during this up-and-down season has been Rawleigh Williams III. Williams’ 117 rushing yards on 25 carries led the Hogs Friday and gives Rawleigh 1,326 RuYds on the season. He moved back ahead of LSU’s Darius Guice, who put up 252 RuYds against A&M Thursday, for the SEC lead.

The Bad

The staggering loss to the SEC East bottom feeder was historic. Since 1970, the Hogs had been 110-1 when leading by 17+ points at the half. Make that 110-2 now. The Hogs finish the regular season not having won back-to-back games since week 3…W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L.

You don’t see many successful fake punts executed from inside the 10-yard line, but Missouri pulled one over on the Hogs Friday. The 15-yard gain gave the Tigers a first down, and they would score on a 67-yard pass from Drew Lock to Johnathan Johnson just two plays later making it 24-21. You knew the writing was on the wall at that point.

The loss was hard enough to swallow, but it severely damages the Hogs bowl possibilities. A win could have landed the Razorbacks in the Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla.), however a loss like that will likely relegate them to the Nashville-Memphis-Houston tier. The 6-6 teams – South Carolina, Kentucky and Ole Miss (if they win Saturday), will be candidates for Shreveport and Birmingham thankfully.

The Ugly

Whenever Mizzou needed a big play, they just ran by our corners like they weren’t even there. Tiger wide receivers D’Jon Moore, Johnathan Johnson and Dimetrios Mason all had big plays at the expense of Jared Collins and Ryan Pulley. Collins was especially picked on all afternoon. It could have been worse, as both Johnson and Mason dropped catches in stride that would have resulted in sure TDs. Once again, our ‘Big Ten Speed’ on defense was on full display.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.” What did we leave out?

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Good: It will be a short drive for Arkansas residents who want to be there in person to see their team lose a bowl game.

Bad: . . .it’s how you play the game.

Ugly: Red zone execution.

OwassoHog

I can not express my DISQUST for this coaching s taff and players…

Excuse me if I’m not mistaken… but Bret and crew have yet shown ANY ability to make second half adjustments. This team started somewhat strong (forget the errors by refs – dropped football before TD, holding, offensive push off by the Tigers, etc) but NOTHING in the second half.

Heads need to roll!!!

As bad as the Auburn loss was (and it was VERY bad), losing to a VERY BAD Missouri team (especially after Ar-Kansas) without putting up a very good battle is INEXCUSABLE!!!

Finally, with expressed that he doesn’t anticipate ANY coaching changes makes me believe that he’s INCAPABLE of leading this program. If I’m in his boat, I’d be looking into ALL options!

Did I already say Heads need to roll?????

If Texas loss to Kansas bad… Arkansas’ loss to Missouri was EVEN worse!

RM

If Smith doesn’t go now, Beilima will be gone next year.

steve_uno

The good. . . Last game of the regular season.
The bad . . . We have to play one more game.
The ugly . . . The possibility that Robb Smith may return next season.

Hogwild28

Good: Our RBs are very talented.
Bad: Tough loss to swallow. But I feel our Offensive Line issues were highlighted 2nd half when we couldn’t protect against a bad defense.
Ugly: Strength and conditioning program. We have real issues with speed and our Offensive and Defensive lines aren’t getting better. We can’t recruit 3 and 4 star and not develop them

hdhog

I am a fan and always will be, but……this team of coaches and players has too many times this year embarrised not only themselves but the School, the State and most painfully the fans of the program.

Our Coaches continue to show their inability to prepare for and adjust to what they know is happing or going to happen.This game is all about blocking and tackling and we have not done either worth a damn at almost any time this year.

I like BB and respect his vision for this team. But the way this team has completely been out coached and out played by what is said to be “less” talented teams is not where this program deserves to be…..in the very least Robb Smith needs to go..

GolfHog

Good: I know he didn’t finish strong, but where would this team be this year without Austin Allen? Skill players we got, at least on offense.
Bad: Red zone offense.
Our energy on defense is terrible. In year three of Robb Smith are we still thinking too much? Have we still not learned the schemes? Even average players can run to the football and play like they mean it. We look defeated when we take the field, like a team that has not had fun in a while. They showed up against Florida but not before or since.
Ugly: Clueless, just utterly clueless. We are treated weekly to all of the things that Bert believes, that are in our DNA, “he only knows one way, the right way,” and on and on, to one flawed campaign after another. No remorse, no apology, no change, just more salesmanship and unwavering belief, a good nights sleep, and back to being Bert bielema.
Recruiting has to improve, especially Oline, linebacker, and secondary.

Ken Black

Season in a nutshell. I’m sick, just sick. Nothing fit and there was no consistency this year. It’s like things were in the heads of (name them here including coaching and players at times) but I have hope as I’m a fan, always will be. But when you’re overseas and this team is about all that you can see from time to time to hold your ties to the state high and strong, you crave those wins for bragging rights. While i think eventually they’ll get there, how long do we ‘stick with the same and expect different results’. And I’m not talking Hillary this time. But possibly the coaches on the defensive side of the ball need a GOOD evaluation. When we lost the coaches we had in the past (coordinators) who went elsewhere, I think we lost consistency. Why did they leave when loyalty was shown to them, there usually is a reason. I’m just sick, the state deserves a better product. I didn’t expect instant results, but there is so much turnover when things look good, that it can’t be maintained. Why?

Roadhog

I hear ya, man. I too was wondering why they chose Hillary as the motivational speaker at halftime.

Ken Black

You’d think she did speak for that the way they played in the 2nd half. I’d be sick too.

Billy bob soo

I know the Arkansas education systems are not the best (bottom 5 in US,) but I would think the fans could figure out that Bielema is an average coach at best. He was average in Big Ten…and average now. Maybe you are ok losing 4-5 games every year….because that’s what you get with Bert…

RM

Hey now… that’s a big improvement from 48th or 49th when I was in school starting in 1959! 😉 Back in those days we always used to say “Thank God for Alabama and Mississippi” since they were always below us on quality of lifes lists. How times have changed, or not (for us anyway).

What puzzles me about Bert is how inconsistent he is. That and he can’t win the big games. Making your living beating the Louisiana Tech’s of the world (barely), just ain’t good enough. The only thing he’s done is post a couple of wins over a poorly coached LSU. Alabama? Nope. Close once, but that was because Alabama didn’t show up until the 2nd half. Then there was the classic loss to the Red Raiders.

Bert needs to shut up and start coaching his ass off. The lack of consistency is DIRECTLY due to his lack of leadership. Period.

If he fails to hire the right assistant coaches for this coming year, then he’s telling everyone, hey, I’ll be happy to take my buy-out and head to Vegas baby.

Then, maybe, we can get a real coach with a killer instinct.

GolfHog

This should be the final straw. It’s pretty clear there is no improvement headed our way next year, not with these coaches. The only question remains, do you let Jeff Long make the next hire after BMFP, John Pelphry, John L., and Bert?

OwassoHog

You left one out… Mike Anderson! Really, what has he really done for the program as Head Coach? Minor improvement at best! 🙁

Roadhog

Long is not gonna hire anybody who might threaten his authority or his job security. That means mediocrity for as far as the eye can see. If you don’t hear talk of a contract extension you’ll know the boosters have Long’s ear and are casting about for Bert’s replacement. Eventually Long will have to take responsibility for the program’s failures.

RM

He own’s it now, whether he likes it or not. Mr “Character” needs to understand part of winning is the “right” kind of character. It’s called the winning gene, and our AD doesn’t possess it.

Even Danny Ford went to the SEC Championship game. HDN went at least twice, once with a team good enough to beat Florida and Urban Meyer with a bit more coaching. BMFP went to the Sugar Bowl in year 3.
Bert is sure that eventually, in year 5 or 6, he will get that 8th or 9th win an move up from Memphis and Shreveport to the Taxslayer Bowl in Jacksonville.

hognaustin

Bielema is just as deluded as the media was about Hillary’s assured victory. And like the media’s attempt to convince the public of Hillary’s victory, Bielema not only deceives himself, he tries to hoodwink us too: “We have the best defense I’ve ever seen”; “Our defensive coordinator is one of the best”; “Our offensive line coach is the best OL coach I’ve ever been associated with”; “Froholdt is a great offensive lineman as is Wallace and Jackson”; blah, blah, blah …… until the actual results come in. The real world, the one that CBB doesn’t live in, gave us the results that we have a terrible defense, a horrible OL and two incompetent coaches in Smith and Anderson (at the very least – “Enos??? what kind of play calling was that against Mizzou????”).

And now the imaginary world that CBB lives in gets worst. I just learned that one of the best high school DL is the state – who plays only one mile from Razorback Stadium – did not get an offer from the Hogs: “Too high risk!!!” is the reason. WHAT??? So he’s going to ‘Bama!!! WHAT!!!! AGAIN????!!!!!! Saban gets a lot of high risk guys and the majority turn out to be great players and decent people. Since CBB wants to mimic Saban and Bama, maybe he ought to get a staff of 40 (like Saban) which would help these “at risk” players turn out okay. I use to like Bielema but he is turning out to be a rotund deluded clown who is enthralled with his own opinions. Changes need to be made, “heads” need to roll and we need to put together a C. Strong defense!!

GolfHog

How about Charlie Strong as a head coach. Or Skip Holtz.

Roadhog

Heard Strong was going to Georgia to team up with Kirby Smart to build a program both smart and strong, a fail-safe strategy.

RM

Bad… Robb Smith

Roadhog

OK, this is perhaps my last comment in this thread: I wonder whether the team has given up on this coaching staff. Regardless the answer, at times it appears that they lose their fighting spirit. They get hit in the mouth and they wilt. That will continue till they get a coaching staff they believe in.